Chapter 558: A Shrine Maiden's Patronage and a Warrior's Rest
As the drinks began to wind down, Reimu suddenly remembered the restroom Yakumo Yukari had mentioned earlier. Driven by some primal, unexplainable instinct, she managed to handle the restaurant and find it without needing Ren to point the way.
A few minutes later, the shrine maiden stumbled back out, her eyes completely glazed over. Yukari offered a knowing, mischievous smile; the gap youkai knew exactly what the fixtures in that washroom were carved from.
Reimu slumped heavily into her chair, staring blankly ahead. "Say... Yukari... Am I hallucinating? A solid jade countertop, a crystal washbasin, and... were those actual gemstones?"
Yukari chuckled softly, her voice dripping with elegant amusement. "Oh my, Reimu. You certainly have a discerning eye."
Reimu swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "It's an entire slab of jade! Do you have any idea how massive that is? Wait... does that mean the boss is loaded?"
Yukari sighed, tapping her fan against her chin. "Thank goodness you finally caught on. Wait, Reimu, what are you doing?"
"What else?" Reimu rolled up her sleeves, a fiery determination igniting in her eyes. "I'm going to beg for his patronage."
"P-Patronage?!"
Yukari and Yakumo Ran immediately lunged forward, grabbing the shrine maiden by the collar and dragging her back into her seat. Even Yuuka Kazami stepped into her path to block her—a rare, physical intervention that genuinely surprised Yukari.
Eventually, Reimu was forced to settle down, but her eyes remained entirely locked onto Ren. She stared at him as if he were a walking, breathing stack of a hundred thousand yen. Yukari could only shake her head. A hundred thousand? Little girl, you really know how to lowball. That single bottle of wine cost far more than that.
Ren noticed the shrine maiden eyeing him like a starving wolf spotting a plump, defenseless rabbit, but he kept his silence. He couldn't exactly outlaw staring, could he?
Dawn was just beginning to break by the time Yuuka settled the bill. Reimu stared at the receipt, utterly stunned. "Boss, are you absolutely sure you didn't miscalculate?"
"Hm? No, the total is correct."
"But... this was premium meat! Cooked to absolute perfection! And the wine... How is it this cheap?"
Yukari smiled, adjusting her posture. "I told you earlier that the boss's menu is incredibly affordable. I wouldn't have invited you without considering my own wallet, of course."
Reimu's gears started turning. If the prices were this low, she could host her shrine parties here. She could bring her own freshly foraged wild vegetables, load up on the complimentary white rice, order a three-hundred-yen deluxe set, and feast like absolute royalty!
Still, the allure of clinging to a wealthy benefactor remained strong. A man who treated luxury wine like tap water... how many hundreds of thousands was he worth? Reimu felt that being a shrine maiden was a total scam. It wasn't about the money, it was about... love at first sight! With his wallet, mostly.
Yuuka didn't linger to wait for the others, departing alone into the early morning mist. Yukari practically shoved a protesting Reimu out the door, while Ran took her leave to return to her grueling work duties.
Lingering behind, Yukari leaned gracefully against the doorframe. She tilted her head, her gaze locking onto Ren with a soft, heavy tension. "Boss..." she murmured, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "You wouldn't actually make a maiden like me plan the location and itinerary for our date, would you?"
"Are we really going on a date?" Ren asked, wiping down the counter.
"I never take back my words. Boss, I expect you to have a flawless, detailed plan ready the next time we speak of this."
With a final, lingering smile, she slipped through the doorway and vanished.
Lucifer watched her go, crossing her arms with a huff. "I have absolutely no idea what goes on in that woman's head... But regardless, the man always comes out ahead in these situations. You're getting off entirely too easy."
"As for that... I'm really not so sure," Ren mused. "Hm? Riven, where are you off to?"
Riven had suddenly stood up from her seat. She blinked, looking a bit lost. "Don't I still need to wash the dishes?"
Ren chuckled, surprised by her rigid diligence. "You take everything so seriously. Perfect timing, though. I'm about to start prepping breakfast. Let's head to the kitchen together. Lucifer, care to join?"
Lucifer gave a curt nod. Riven, meanwhile, felt a twinge of guilt; she had essentially been bribed into staying because the food was so obscenely good that everyone had licked their plates completely clean.
At the sink, Riven picked up a plate. Two swipes under the running faucet and it was spotless, yet her warrior's discipline forced her to scrub it several more times just to be sure. It was too easy. Just as Ren had promised, the customer volume was low, leaving very few dishes to manage. Finished, she stood awkwardly to the side, watching Ren work.
"Something on your mind?" Ren asked, his tone warm. "Or is there something specific you'd like to eat? We can all brainstorm breakfast together."
"I can eat anything," Riven replied softly, her posture stiff. "I just... isn't this job a little too effortless?"
"You aren't here just to be an employee, Riven. You're here as a friend. As family."
"I know... But is there really nothing else I can do?"
Seeing her unease, Ren relented. "Alright. You can wash the vegetables."
He knew Riven was still adjusting. A soldier without orders felt adrift, and she would only settle into the peace gradually. Besides, with Cerberus and Justice running around the restaurant, Riven's rigid shell was bound to crack eventually.
Still, Ren harbored a few concerns. Outside of combat, the former exile was dangerously naive. When Lucifer had been explaining basic modern concepts to her earlier, Riven had listened with the intense, wide-eyed focus of a grade-schooler. If Justice set her sights on her... Ren shuddered inwardly. Justice was always trying to force Lucifer into ridiculous, distinctive cosplay outfits. If she got her hands on Riven, she would absolutely trick the poor girl into wearing them. The sheer number of 'wardrobe changes' Riven might end up modeling was a terrifying thought.
Ren decided on a congee hotpot for breakfast—warm, comforting, and perfect for feeding a group. As the rich, savory rice broth simmered, he glanced at Riven. She was intensely staring down a bowl of fresh seafood as the clams spat out sand, treating them like a potential threat.
"Don't look so tense," Ren laughed. "They're already quite clean. By the way, Riven, would you like to learn how to make a few simple dishes?"
Riven started, pointing a calloused finger at her own chest. "Me? Cook? I've only ever held a sword... I've never wielded a kitchen knife."
"But you aren't the same person you were in the past, are you?" Ren asked gently.
Riven looked down at her hands. "You're right... But do you think I can actually learn?"
"As long as you have the desire. Even our haughty little queen over there has developed quite the knack for making desserts."
"Hmph!" Lucifer turned her nose up, her cheeks dusting pink. "That is simply the natural talent of a superior woman! Wait... what exactly did you mean by that tone?! I'll bite you!"
"I was just giving you some face in front of Riven!"
"Alright, alright," Ren laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Your Majesty."
"Hmph! Just make sure you remember it!"
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
🌐 Read on our site: Elysianreads[.]com or Check the link in my Webnovel Profile bio!
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL or Search AkarinTL on Patreon
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]